


Love

by MissSlothy



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Making Up, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 16:14:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16066739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSlothy/pseuds/MissSlothy
Summary: Danny and Steve argue over pasta.A one shot, inspired by a Tumblr post.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aries_taurus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aries_taurus/gifts), [avictoriangirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/avictoriangirl/gifts), [bgharison](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgharison/gifts).



> Inspired by a Tumblr post (check out my account for full details. The first chapter is also posted on there). Challenge was to include the following in a story:
> 
> “I trusted you! I was-… You know what, nevermind.”
> 
> “*name*-”
> 
> “No. We’re done.”

Danny parks the Camaro.  He rakes his fingers through his hair.  Chuffing air through his nostrils to steady himself, he gets out of the car.

The bar across the road is called Murphy’s.  If the name isn’t a giveaway then the green, neon flashing shamrocks in the windows are a sure sign it’s an Irish pub.  It’s not one he’s been in often but he knows Steve’s there tonight.  His phone’s equipped with a GPS tracker.  And his truck’s parked round the back.

Danny can count on one hand the number of times he and Steve have argued since becoming a couple, three years before.  Really argued: blood boiling, teeth grinding, blind rage. 

It’s once.  Just once.  And he started it.  Over pasta, for fuck’s sake. 

He’s so fucking ashamed.  He doesn’t know what’s got into him.  Working at Five -0, running the restaurant was always going to be difficult.  But he’d never imagined this.  Steve’s never stormed out like that, his face like thunder.  Danny’s never felt like his heart’s ripping in two before.

The door to the bar opens.  The sound of male voices laughing carries in the warm, night air.  The door’s in shadow, Danny can just make out two men standing there.  From their stance they look worse for wear.  As they step into the light they reveal they’ve each got an arm slung around the other’s shoulder.  Their bodies are plastered against each from head to toe.

Danny takes a step back, stumbles, manages to right himself.  There’s no air in his lungs.  His world’s collapsing around him.  He’s dying inside.  Biting back a cry he tries to get his legs working, but already he’s too late. 

Steve’s seen him.  Eyes widening in horrified recognition, he’s heading his way. 

Danny takes a step back – then he freezes.  Anger flares: bright red, hot and toxic.  He’s so done with this fucking bullshit.  Striding forward he meets Steve in the middle of the road.  A fist to his chest makes him rock backwards. Another one, and he takes a step back.  “I trusted you! I was-… You know what, nevermind.”

“Danny-”

“No. We’re done.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Sure you don’t want me to wait for you, dude?  You gonna need another cab?”

Steve shakes his head at the cab driver.  Pulling out his wallet, he fumbles around, looking for enough cash.  When he’d stormed out of the house that evening he hadn’t planned to be ferried around the island.

He hands over the cash.  “I’m good,” he mumbles, opening the door.  “Have a good night.”

“If you’re sure.”  The driver shrugs as he puts the car into drive.  “I’m just asking.  That last house we went to, the guy didn’t sound too pleased to see you.  Man, he’s got a pair of lungs on him.  I didn’t know anyone could sound that loud through a closed door—”

Steve slams the car door shut on the driver’s monologue.  He remembers what happened when he went home just fine.  Swallowing down a wave of nausea, he gets his feet under him and heads across the road.

The house he’s heading for is in darkness, as is most of the neighbourhood.  Squinting at his watch he tries to figure out the time.  His alcohol soaked brain registers it, forgets instantly and he puts his arm down again.

Reaching the house, he rings the doorbell.  The sharp sound cuts through the night air.  Next door a dog starts barking.  A dog two houses along joins in as well.

He scrubs his hand over face.  “Shit.” 

He’s about to try the doorbell again when a light comes on upstairs.  He takes a step back to look up and the world wobbles dangerously.  Wobbling forward again he shores himself up against the door jamb.

More lights come on.  There’re footsteps and finally the sound of a security system being switched off. The key turns in the lock.

Lou peers around the edge of the door. Bleary-eyed he might be, but it’s clear he’s still on full alert.

Steve raises his hand.  He forces his lips to curl up at the ends.  “Hi.”

Lou pulls the door fully open.  Leaning out, he looks up and down the street.  “You okay, man?” he asks, grabbing Steve by the arm and pulling him inside.  He sniffs, leans in close.  “Is that whiskey?” he asks, straightening up.  His eyes widen and he grins, a huge toothy grin.  “Danny throw you out?  You figured you’d hide out until he’s calmed down?” 

Steve stares back at him.  The brutal reality of Lou’s words hit him like a ten-truck.  He feels sick.  He feels hollow.  He’s lost everything. 

Lou’s smile wavers then dies as understanding dawns.  There’s a shocked pause and then Steve finds himself being herded into the kitchen.  The next thing he knows, he’s sitting down at the table.  Holding his head in his hands, he wills his head to stop spinning.  He can’t throw up, not in Renee’s kitchen.

“Everything okay, babe?”

Steve looks up, grimacing as it sets off another wave of nausea.  Renee’s standing in the doorway, dressed in a silk nightshift.  It’s obvious his midnight visit has woken her up.  She takes in the scene in the kitchen, her gaze lingering on Steve.  Then she turns her attention to Lou: they stare at each other like they’re communicating silently.   As one they look over at him, compassion in their eyes.

A wave of humiliation hits him.  Pity is something he doesn’t deserve.  Putting his weight on his hands he pushes upwards, struggling to his feet.  “S’rry,” he mumbles, keeping his head down.  “I’ll go.  I shouldn’—”

Lou’s large hand clamps around his shoulder.  Gently he’s pushed back down.  He stares at the table top, miserably.  It’s swims in and out of focus as his vision blurs.  Blinking, he realises there’s a cup of coffee in front of him.  Blindly, he pulls it toward him and takes a sip.

“Wanna tell us about it?” Grover asks, from the seat beside him, his voice incredibly soft.

_I fucked up. I fucked up so badly._ Steve takes another gulp of coffee.  He winces, it’s really hot.  “We argued,” he starts, staring into his cup, “about the restaurant.  Danny’s worried the new pasta chef is using different flour.”

“Say that again?”

Steve looks up.  Lou’s staring at him, clearly perplexed.  On the opposite side of the table, Renee looks equally confused.  Steve takes a breath: it doesn’t make sense to him either.  But for Danny it was a big deal.

“Danny thinks the customers will notice.  If they don’t like the pasta they won’t come back.  If they don’t come back we don’t make money.  I’ve got a bank loan that’s secured on the house.  So then the bank would repossess the house—”

“Woah.”  Lou’s got his hands in the air, in surrender.  “It’s just _pasta_.”

Steve shrugs.  Part of him thinks that too.  But Danny’s been worrying about a lot of things.  He knew that.  When the argument started he should have known better than to push it. 

“Every day it’s something different.” Rubbing his hand over his face as he tries to translates his thoughts into words.  “He’s worried about Charlie and whether he sees him enough.  Grace’s been homesick at college, he’s worried about that.  He’s worried about the waiting staff, whether we’re paying them enough.  He’s just…” Steve takes a shuddering breath, tries to collect himself.  “That’s why I love him, you know?” he whispers, the enormity of what’s happened hitting him all over again. “He’s got such a big heart.  But sometimes…sometimes…”

“Sometimes you need a break,” Renee nods, sharing a look with her husband.  “You need some space, time on your own.”

“So you went to a bar,” Lou continues, smoothly picking up where his wife left off.  “Where’d you go?”

Steve rests his head in his hands.  “Murphy’s.  It’s up on—”

“—I know where it is.”  Grover pauses.  “That’s not a bar you usually go to.  So why’d you—”

“It’s Navy.”  Steve sighs.  It had seemed like such a good idea at the time.  “It’s where everyone goes when they’re on leave from Pearl.  I thought maybe…”  He shakes his head, rethinking his statement.  The alcohol’s making everything swim just out of reach.  “I don’t know what I thought.”

“So what happened next?”

It’s Renee who’s asked, her tone rich with sympathy.  Steve’s stomach sinks: she’s not going to feel so sympathetic in a minute.  “I met an old buddy from SEAL Team Nine.”

“So you had a few drinks…” Lou prompts him, his voice sounding faintly suspicious for the first time.

Steve nods, forces himself to raise his head.  It’s time to face the music.  He deserves it.  God, he deserves it.  “So I may have had one too many whiskeys.  My buddy, he offers to help me get a cab.” He swallows hard, the awful moment he’d spotted Danny, suddenly replaying in his head.  “We were going outside and then….that’s when Danny saw us.”

“He _saw_ you?”

Steve raises his chin, flits his gaze between his two friends.  “We were…we were standing awfully close.”

Renee’s gaze nails him to the spot.  “ _How_ close?”

Steve can’t answer.  What’s he supposed to say?  He knows what it looked like to Danny.  He’s behaved like a total dick.

Lou takes his silence for what it is: an admission of guilt.  Scowling, he runs his hand over his head.  “You been…close… with this guy before?”

“No!”  Steve tilts his head, reconsidering the question.  To his horror the whiskey is acting like a truth serum.  “Well…maybe.”

“ _Steve._ ”

_No!  How the hell could they think that?_   “There was this one time in Afghanistan, we were in deep cover.  It was so cold in the mountains we had to share a sleeping bag.”

“Are you bullshitting me?”

Steve rests his chin on his hands.  His head feels so heavy suddenly.  Blinking slowly, he studies Lou’s face.  “He was just getting me a cab,” he whispers brokenly, his eyes starting to slide closed.  “I love him, Lou,” he says, his voice catching.  “What the hell am I supposed to do?”

The whiskey finally beats him into submission: his head tilts forward until his nose is touching the table top. He’s vaguely aware of gentle hands putting a cushion under his head.  Then he passes out.

H50H50H50

Lou watches as Renee lays a blanket over Steve’s shoulders.  Eyes closed, he’s gently snoring.  His eyelashes are clumped together, damp with moisture.

“You’ve got to fix this,” she whispers, coming to join him on the other side of the table.

Lou does a double-take as her words sink in.  “ _Me_?”

“Yes, you.”  Slipping her arm around his shoulder, she pulls him for a hug.  “They need each, baby.  You know that.”

“I know,” he breathes.  Not being together, it’ll destroy his friends.  Sighing tiredly, he gets to his feet and goes to make a call.

Standing in his hallway half an hour later, he’s tense and nervous as hell.  Beside him, Renee’s started pacing.  Steve’s still out cold.   

The sound of a car pulling up outside grabs their attention.  The engine stops, the headlamps switch off.  Then there’s…nothing. 

Renee throws him a panicked glance.  “Lou?”

He raises a hand: wait.

The seconds tick by, it seems like forever.  Finally the car door opens and slams shut.  Footsteps head toward the house.  They both sag with relief.

Lou opens the door before Danny gets there.  His heart grows heavy as his friend steps into the light from the hallway.  Danny had sounded angry but resigned on the telephone; he’d had to beg to get him to come.  In person though it’s clear he’s furiously angry.  Radiating adrenaline, he’s clenching and unclenching his fingers.  His posture is hunched, it screams ‘back off’. 

He looks utterly destroyed.

Danny nods to Renee as Lou stands to one side to let him in.  Halting in the hallway, he stuffs his hands in his pockets.  “He still here?”

Lou jerks his head towards the kitchen. Danny shuffles forward, to follow where he’s looking, through the kitchen doorway.  His eyes rest on Steve for a second.  Emotions flick across his face in quick succession – relief, confusion, sadness – then his defences come back up again.

“Just talk to him,” Lou jumps in, as Danny shuffles back towards the front door.  “Just hear him out.”

Danny swings round.  Lou feels his breath catch at the pain in his friend’s eyes.  “”What, so he can tell me it was all a mistake?  I’ve been here before, Lou…”

“Just give him a chance.”  It’s Renee who’s spoken, her voice soft, full of understanding.  Taking a step, she plants herself between Danny and the front door. 

Danny glares at each of them in turn.  He’s trembling, his eyes bright with unshed tears.

Lou puts a hand on his shoulder, relieved when Danny doesn’t pull back.  “You know I’ve got your back, man.  You _know_ that.  But I think you should talk to him.  Let him explain.”

Danny’s head goes down, he leans into Lou’s hand.  “I can’t,” he whispers brokenly, “I trusted him—”  He breaks off as there’s movement behind them.  Lou turns.

Steve’s standing in the kitchen doorway.  He’s  holding onto the doorframe with a white-knuckled grip.  “I’m sorry, okay.  Just let me—”

Danny shakes his head, wards him off with a raised hand.  “No,” he grinds out, already heading for the front door.

“Danny.  _Please.”_

Danny halts.  Slowly he turns.  He meets Steve’s eyes, his jaw working.  Shaking his head, he looks down, studies the floor.  Lou opens his mouth to try again when Danny looks up, catching his eye.  “Can you give us a minute?”

“Sure.”  Lou’s so relieved that words fail him.  Blood is thundering in his ears.  Renee’s on the case though, opening the door that leads to the living room and waving Danny through. 

The expression on Steve’s face as he moves to follow Danny almost undoes Lou.  He’s never seen Steve McGarrett look so desperate, not even in the most dire life and death situations. 

Renee’s not so forgiving.  Stepping in front of Steve, she pins to the spot with a glare.  “Make it count,” she orders, her eyes flashing.  Steve swallows, nods, then follows Danny as she steps back to let him through.

Lou closes the door behind him.  The last thing he sees is his two friends standing in the middle of his living room, facing each other like adversaries.  It’s only Renee’s hand on his arm that stops him going in there.  He knows she’s right – they can’t do any more – but his heart feels like an elephant’s sitting on it.  He’s so anxious he’s struggling to breath.

H50H50H50

Lou winces as he shifts on the kitchen chair.  His ass is numb from sitting for so long and he’s exhausted.  A check of the clock on the wall confirms it’s 2am.

Renee’s in the chair beside him.  She’s tucked under his shoulder, he’s pulled close into his side.  A little while earlier she’d fallen asleep.  His heart swells as he studies her face.  She’s still the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen.  Why the hell she chose him to share her life with, he has no idea.  But he thanks God every day for her love, strength and perseverance.  The path she’s chosen to follow has not always been an easy one.

As if sensing he’s watching, she stirs.  He tightens his grip.  The love he feels for her is almost painful.  He doesn’t even want to imagine what his life would be like without her in it. 

Yawning, she pulls away from him.  Blinking away sleep, she listens.  Then she looks up at him, eyebrows raised.

“It went quiet about half an hour ago.” He nods towards the closed door of the living room.  Up to then there had been raised voices.  No shouting though. That doesn’t reassure him: he’d expected Danny to vent his feelings.  Danny _needed_ to vent, to release some of the anxiety that had trigged their argument in the first place.

They wait a while longer, listening.  Then, in unspoken agreement, they stand up.  They want to give their friends the space they need.  But it’s also the middle of the night.

Lou’s not sure what he’s expecting when he carefully opens the door.  It takes him a moment for his eyes to adapt to the darkness: the lights are off, the only illumination in the room is the moonlight coming through the windows. 

Renee’s beside him.  She lets out a soft sigh of relief.  Lou wraps an arm around her shoulders and squeezes her tight.

Steve’s lying on the couch.  Propped up on the cushions, he’s got one leg stretched out in front of him, the other’s hanging off the edge.  Danny’s sitting between his legs, his back against Steve’s chest.  Both men have their eyes closed.  Steve’s lightly snoring again.

It’s not that which makes Lou’s heart swell with emotion.  It’s the protective bear-hug that Steve’s got Danny in, his strong arms wrapped around Danny’s chest, shielding his heart.  Steve’s head is bowed, his lips brushing the crown of Danny’s head.  He’s fallen asleep again, mid-kiss, worshipping the man he loves.

Danny’s fingers are wrapped around Steve’s forearms.  He stirs, tightening his grip.  Huffing softly, he burrows further against Steve’s chest.  Gradually his breathing eases back into sleep. 

Lou pulls the door closed.  Swallowing hard, he pulls Renee close and leads her back to bed.  He’s not a romantic idiot, he knows this isn’t the end of it.  But in his heart he knows everything is going to be alright.

The End.


End file.
